Phoenix, Arizona.

This week, Ben Huberman asks us to share the narrow reaches of our photography. From the challenge, “You could focus on a slender object… an image where your field of vision is restricted.” You can read the entire challenge post here. After reading the subject heading, I have a couple of images in my gallery that fit the concept, but the first one that came to mind is the narrow pathway between two boulders shown above. Hikers who have taken the short loop trail to Hidden Valley from the National Trail will recognize this point where the trail narrows as it comes to the confluence of three boulders as seen in the image above.

The trail itself snakes between the two lower boulders, about 12 inches (30 cm) at its most narrow point as shown in the image above. Known by the politically incorrect name, Fat Man Pass, the opening in the boulders isn’t the only way to go. Those who don’t like tight spaces can do a short, relatively easy scramble around and above one of the lower boulders. You can read about the hike on South Mountain and find out more detail on our trek to Happy Valley here. I will only say here that on this day, it was a tight squeeze for me, but our entire party made it through the pass.

John Steiner